Everything flows, nothing stands still. (Heraclitus)

Molting Cardinals

Come August and September, you may notice some very shabby-looking birds. Cardinals are probably the most noticeable in this regard.

It’s the molting season!

A few years ago, I did a post on molting. This year I got more photos of this phenomenon, so I figured I’d post them.

Molting is a natural and regular process where some or all of a bird’s feathers are replaced. A bird’s feathers are extremely important- not only do they allow for flight, but they regulate body temperature and keep the elements away from a bird’s skin. Feathers are much like hair on people- they grow, but aren’t ‘alive’. Feathers become damaged through wear and tear. If a feather is removed, it will grow back- but damaged feathers stay damaged. So they need to be replaced every so often. This is what molting accomplishes- renewal of a vital system.

Many birds molt once a year. Some partially molt again right before mating season to switch into their most colorful feathers. Rarely, a few species molt twice a year (and these birds live in habitats where their feathers get damaged a lot). Molts are often timed to occur after nesting and before migrations (late summer). The reason for this timing is to fall in the lull between the strenuous activity of raising young and flying for thousands of miles. This way there is less stress upon the bird.

Molting takes place gradually over some weeks. This way a bird is not left featherless, flightless and cold, which is what would happen if all of its feathers came off at once. Sometimes different parts of the body molt at different times- for instance, the head and body may molt during a given time, and then the wings molt at a later time. Although birds can be flightless for a brief period, generally the feather loss and replacement is an even process scattered over the bird’s body so that vital functions are not greatly impeded.

This female Cardinal that comes by my place for peanuts is currently molting- she looks like a chicken in the above photos, her face feather-free but her crest still intact.

I hope I still look pretty!

Here she is sans crest. This morning when I saw her, she’s starting to get more feathers around her neck, so she will be looking normal again later this month. Notice the round spot beneath and behind her eye- that’s actually her ear. She looks almost like a dinosaur without the feathers!

Here’s her normal beautiful self from a few months ago.

Here’s one of the male Cardinals that stop by, currently molting. Notice his ‘eyebrows’ still flourishing on his bald head.

And here’s what the male looked like earlier this year. Molting will be done in time for cold weather to return. Luckily molting happens after the mating and family-raising season is done- this is a time between the demands of the young and the demands cold weather places upon birds. There is a season for everything.

I guess I need to look at my cardinals more closely! We have one that I saw earlier this year, and last summer too, that has like a gray collar or mantle setting off his bright red feathers. I haven’t seen him lately so I hope he is okay–or perhaps he molted back to brighter plumage!